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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2..

R. M. LOWNE.

` ENGINE. No. 479,66L` Patented July 26, 1892.

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R. M. LOWNB. ENGINE.

No. 479,651. Patented July 26, 1892.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

R. M. LOWNE.

ENGINE.

No. 479,651. Patented .11115126.1891

` of the piston.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

ROBERT MANN LOWNE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,651, dated July 26, 1892.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT MANN LovvNE,v

a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Leicester House, East Finchley, London, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful ImprovernentsinMotive-PowerEn gines, of which 'the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of obtaining and transmitting power by means of a vacuum or partial vacuum caused within a cylinder or vessel, the vacuum orpartial vacuum causing the external air to operate a piston and other appliances for obtaining motion.

In carrying my invention into effect I elnploy a cylinder with a piston of any convenient construction which shall fit as nearly as possible air-tight into the cylinder and at the same time be capable of moving` freely, and I employ suitable guide-bars for keeping the piston parallel, such guide-bars being attached to the piston and moving with it. I connect the piston to a connecting-rod, Which is attached to a crank and shaft carrying a flywheel. The cylinder, piston, guide-bars, crank, and shaft with fly-Wheel may all be of ordinary construction.

According to my invention I form an opening of any convenient and suitable size at the end or thereabout of the cylinder and I cover this opening with a flap-valve or other convenient Valve, which I cause to be operated by an eccentric, cam, or pin attached to the crank-shaft or the fly-Wheel; or the flap or other convenient valve may be operated in any other suitable manner, the object being to open and close the opening into the cylinder or vessel. Close to the opening into the cylinder or vessel I arrange a dame or fire,` caused by the combustion of gas or gases, gas and air, spirit, oil, or any other combustible substance or material. The object of the flame or fire is to fill or partially fill the interior of the cylinder or vessel with flame or gases or flame and gases at avery high temperature d urin g the strokeor part of the stroke lVhen the cylinder is full or partially full of fiame or gases or flame and gases at a very high temperature, then the ap or other convenient valve is caused to close by any suitable mechanical means and Application led September 5, 1890. Serial No. 363,972. (No model.)

the flame or gases or flame and gases instantly become cooled to about the same temperature as the cylinder itself. The llame or highly-heated gases or the flame and highlyheated gases on becoming cool contract accordin g to the difference between the temperature thereof When the valve is closed and that of the cylinder itself. The contraction of the flame or highly-heated gases or the flame and highly-heated gases When the valve is closed causes a vacuum or partial vacuum Within the cylinder or vessel and theexternal air exerts a pressure on the piston which forces it in the direction of its stroke and operates the Working parts of the motor.

According to my invention, instead of employing a cylinder and piston of ordinary construction I may employ a vessel of any convenient form, and instead of a piston I may employ a flexible diaphragm, and When the motor is only required to obtain a reciprocating motion I may dispense with the crank and fly-Wheel and may operate the valve in any convenient manner by means of the motion of the piston; or I may dispense with the piston and employ the flexible diaphragm, operating the valve directly from it.

When convenient, I may employ two or more openings into the cylinder or vessel and cover them with a valve or valves for the purpose described, also for better supporting the combustion of the flame, in order for it better to enter and fill or partially fill the cylinder or vessel, I may admit air through the opening or openings mentioned, or I may admit air through another opening or openings, Which I may arrange and cover, and stop the air entering from time to time in any convenient manner. The piston, as before stated, has two guide-bars attached to it. To the center of the piston I attach the connectingrod. Over the guide-bars I arrange a split metallic ring, Which fits closely against the body of the piston. Over this metallic ring I arrange another similar vring with its split at a different-point of the circumference of the piston. Over this second ring I place a plate, which fits over the guide-bars and is kept in position so as t0 exert a pressure on the rings by spiral springs fitting around the guide-bars and the pressure of Which can be IOO regulated by screws and nuts or by clips and set-screws, or by any other suitable means. This method of arranging the piston, guidebars, and packing-rings is applicable as a substitute for the trunk-pistons of trunk-engines generally. "When necessary to keep the cylinder or vessel from becoming too hot, I

surround it with water or with circulating water in any convenient manner.

The advantages of the motor according to my invention are extreme simplicity of its working parts, combined with great power for its size, and ease and safety of its management, also its reliability and steadiness in working.

When workingthe engine by the consumption of gas, I employ, by preference, a ringshaped Bunsen burner of such proportions as to bring the llame as close as possible to the opening in the end of the cylinder.

In order that my said invention shall be more fully understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully to describe the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan, both partly in section, of an engine constructed according to my invention. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the piston and cylinder, partly in section. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of parts hereinaft-er described. Figs. S and 9 are respectively a plan and side elevation of the piston, cylinder, and connecting-rod, partly in section. Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively an edge and face View of the valve. Fig. 12 is arear elevation of the burner. Fig. 13 is a vertical section of the same, and Fig. 14 is a plan of the same.

d is the cylinder or vessel.

b is the piston.

c c are the guide-bars.

CZ is the connecting-rod.

e is the crank.

f is the crank-shaft.

g is the fly-Wheel.

g is a pulley for transmitting power.

h is the opening into the cylinder.

h is the position of the flame on entering the cylinder.

i is the flap-valve.

j is the eccentric for opening the valve.

j is the eccentric-rod.

t7'2 is a movable projection working on the eccentric-rod and attached to a spiral springjs.

j4 is a spiral spring weaker than 7'3 and which acts in an opposite direction.

7c is a lever attached to the valve-spindle 7a and carrying a pin 7c3.

7a2 is a connecting-piece, which carries the valve 'L'.

Z is a water-jacket.

m is a ring-shaped Bunsen burner.

n is a supply-pipe, having a stop-cock n for admitting gas to theburner m.

'n2 is a small pipe terminating with a small jet at n3, which by being lighted will keep a ing 71, in the end of the cylinder.

small jet of gas burning for the purpose of lighting and keeping the Bunsen burner m alight.

ois a screen and short chimney placed partially around and extending above the burner m, the object being to protect the flame and at the same time create a draft for the burner. The chimney o may be extended in length and carried into a iiue for taking off the products ot' combustion; but when the engine is worked by the consumption of gas, as shown in the drawings, the smell of the Bunsen llame is not greater than that of an ordinary gas-stove, and it is quite a matter of taste whether it is necessary to lead the chimney 0 into a ilue or not.

Having mentioned the different parts with reference to the letters, I will now explain the working action of the engine.

For engines such as that shown in the drawings, when the gas is not permanently laid on, an india-rubber pipe is brought from any gassupply pipe, the size being according to the size ot` the engine. For small engines suitable for driving sewing-machines, large automatic American organs, harmoniums, and a variety of purposes taking a similar amount of power, an ordinary fish-tail burner will ad- .mit sufficient gas for working the engine at full power and the india-rubber pipe may for convenience be attached to such burner for obtaining the supply of gas. The india-rubber pipe must now be attached to the pipe n and the gas lighted at the jet n3. The stopcock 'n' is turned on and the gas passes through the jet n3 and lights as a Bunsen flame at h', passing up the chimney 0.

In starting the engine its working may generally be described as follows: The fly-wheel g, on being vpulled round by hand in the direction of the arrow, draws the piston through the cylinder and at the same time draws the Bunsen flame through the open- The valve is caused to close by the eccentric before the piston linishes its forward stroke. AL most immediately upon the closing of the valve the flame which has entered the cylinder contracts and causes a vacuum within the cylinder behind the piston. The iiywheel is still moved by hand until the crank passes its dead-point. Then the pressure of the external air forces the piston back, working lthe crank and ily-wheel with a force according to the amount of rarefaction behind the piston. The momentum of the fly-Wheel again draws the piston forward, causing the flame again to enter the cylinder and again to cause avacuum in it, and so on as long as the engine runs.

To more particularly describe the action of IOO IIO

IZO

the action of the eccentric. Immediately on the contraction of theflame the` valve is further held shut by the 4atlnospheric pressure acting on the outer side of the valve only and holding it against the opening h into the cylinder. This force is exerted upon the vvalve -until the eective return stroke of the piston is completed. Then the valve opens. This is effected by means of the equilibrium being restored between the inside and outside of the cylinder. At the same time the eccentric liberates the valve by moving the proj ectionja and and guided according to my invention and the clips b5 b5.

which I employ as a substitute for a trunk-piston. h is the body of the piston, to which are fixed two guide-bars c c. b is a joint and pin, which carries the connecting-rod d. b2 b2 are Vsplit metallic rings. b3 is the plate for keeping the rings in position. b4 b4 are the spiral springs for holding the plate b3 upon the rings b2. The rings are kept by this means in close contact with the body of the piston l). The springs are kept in position by The guide-bars c c run in bearings c c. The advantages of this piston are great lightness of running, steadiness of action, and at the same time it is practically perfectly air-tight. I arrange the split part of the rings opposite oneA another and at right angles to the plane of oscillation of the connecting-rod, so that, although the body of the piston may wear at the top and bottom from the angular and oscillatingpull of the connecting-rod, yet the sides of the body of the pistonv are not subject to this wear and Will therefore keep close to the cylinder. This is the reason why I place the split parts ot the rings at the sides, for then the splitsdo not requireany packing, as the body of the piston practically prevents air from passing. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are elevations showing, respectively, the body l) of the piston, the rings b2, and the plate b3.

In the form shown in Fig. S I employ one guide-bar c instead of two, and I split the connecting-rod d, having halt on each side of the guide-bar and its bearing, or I may still further modify it by having the connectingrod on one side of the guide-bar only. The flap-valve I preferably employ is formed of a number of thin plates of steel graduating in size, as shown in Figs. l0 and 11.

The object of `making the valve of a number of plates is that they act one upon another in a similar manner to the action of the plates of a carriage-spring and prevent the shock which would otherwise occur every time the valveV was closed. A valve made of a number of' plates is applicable to valves of engines generally Where it is desirable Vto reduce the shock of the valve striking its seat.

I will now more particularly describe the burner with respect to Figs. 12,13, and 14. m is a flat metal box with an opening h right through it.` Attached to or part of m is a' tube m', with a plug in `the end carrying the gaspipe n and jet n3. fm2 is an opening into the tube m for admitting air. m3 is a partition of 'Wire-gauze for prevent-ing the gas from lighting within the tube m. The gas and air ordinarily burn outside the opening h', although without the Wire-gauze there would be danger of the gas lighting in m. What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isl Y 1. In an engine, the-combination, with the cylinder having an opening therein, a burner arranged at said opening, avalve for closing said opening, and means for closing said Valve, of a spring for opening the vvalve when the equilibrium between the interior and exterior of the cylinder is established, substantially as set forth.

2. In an engine, the combination, with the cylinder having an opening, ythe burner arranged at said opening, and a valve for closing said opening, of the eccentric-rod, a spring connected with said rod for closing the valve, and a spring for opening the Valve, substantially as set forth.

3. In'an engine, the combination, with the cylinder having an opening and a valve for closing said opening, of a spring for holding said valve normally open, and the burner having the opening h arranged opposite the opening in the cylinder, substantially as vset forth.

4. In an engine, the combination, with the cylinder having an opening and a valve for closing said opening, of a spring for holding said valve normally open, the burner having an opening arranged opposite the opening in the cylinder, and the auxiliary burner n3, ar-

ranged near the latter opening, substantially as set forth. A

5. In an engine, the combination, with the cylinder having an opening and a valve for closing said opening, of the burner having the vertical boX m, provided with the opening h', arranged opposite the opening in the cylinder, and a semicircular chimney or screen arranged against the box m and surrounding the valve and said opening h', substantially as set forth.

6. In an engine, the combination, with the cylinder having an opening, the burner Yarranged at the said opening, and a valve for closing said opening, of a rod on which said valve is mounted, a crank having a pin on said rod, the eccentric-rod, a spring connecting the eccentric-rod with said pin, anda proj ection on said eccentric-rod adapted to strike Y IOO IIO

closing Said opening, of a burner having the flat boX m, provided with an opening opposite the openingin the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

8. In motive-power engines, the combination of Working cylinder a, having one of its ends open to the atmosphere, the single small opening h in its other end adapted for the double purpose of admitting flame to the cylinder and exhausting the gas therefrom, a burner-box communicating with said opening h, the Valve t', guarding the opening h,

. means for operating said valve for opening and closing said opening, a burner in said burner-box for supplying flame and heated gas directly to the interior of said Working cylinder a through the said opening h, and a piston located in said cylinder, substantially as set forth.

9. In an engine, the combination of the cylinder a, piston b, an opening h in one end of the cylinder proper and being of smaller diameter than the interior of said cylinder, a Valve z, means for operating such valves to open and close said opening h, and a b urner 25 ROBERT MANN LOWNE.

Witnesses:

B. J. B. MILLS, CLAUDE K. MILLS, Both of 23 Southampton Buildings, London. 

